


A Squid or a Kraken

by Amelia041223



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: 8 year old Theon, A boy needs rescuing, A day in Theon's past, Asha is totally awesome as a kid, Gen, Poor Theon, Rodrik and Maron are untrustworthy, protective older sister
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-15 21:36:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7239376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amelia041223/pseuds/Amelia041223
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Would you like to be a man, Theon? A true kraken worthy of the ironborn name?" Rodrik said quietly, a smile quirking on his face. Theon bit his lip uncertainly. It felt like another of Rodrik and Maron's cruel games, which usually resulted in him being hurt.</p><p>"Yes?" He replied nervously, slightly backing away. Rodrik grinned.</p><p>Or, Theon discovers becoming a man is an unhappy process, but Asha will help him along, if need be.</p><p>Or, Theon finds his brothers are very untrustworthy, as is the rest of the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Squid or a Kraken

**Author's Note:**

  * For [My big sis](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=My+big+sis).



> This is a one-off ficlet. 8 year-old Theon needs a hug, especially from his older sis.  
> I'm going to be exploring Theon's pre-Winterfell experience at Pyke in later ficlets as well. I hope you like this one, though it was a hasty plot.

The sun beamed hot and thick on his back, an unusually crisp and clear day for Pyke. Theon smiled slightly as he kneeled in the soft sand, the wind gently ruffling his hair. He dug his hands into the sand, moulding the rough grains into a small, round tower, his finger digging little crenels at the top. He built two more small towers, each one bigger than the last, the sand piled higher and higher. He used the sharp edge of a shell to carve little windows, and doors, and he used seaweed as bridges to connect them.

Theon grinned, pleased with his work, and quickly dug into his pocket for the last finishing touch. He extracted a small wooden carving of a kraken, the sigil of his House. He rubbed his thumb along the smooth tentacles, imagining the little beast roaming the depths of the sea, surfacing only to feast on the ships of sailors lost at sea. The carving had been a gift from his mother for his name day. He did not usually get presents for his name day, but this time, she had slipped him this little token when she came to blow out his candle. 

"You will be as fierce as a kraken one day, my love," she had whispered, softly touching his cheek. His father never encouraged any sort of fondness from his mother, but she gave him signs of love all the same, nursing him tenderly when he was ill, wiping his brow. She had told him to keep the gift a secret, and so he had, keeping it with him in his pocket wherever he went, a comfort on the bleak rocks of the Iron Islands.

Theon placed the carving on the top of the highest tower, it's tentacles pushed into the sand, a proud figure for his castle.

He smiled, rubbing his hands on his trousers to wipe the fine grains of sand from his fingers.

A shadow fell over him, and Theon turned, startled, to see his older brother Rodrik standing behind him, his other brother Maron lurking close behind.

"What are you doing, little brother?" Rodrik grinned devilishly, advancing threateningly. Theon raised his chin defiantly, his body protecting his creation.

"Go away, Rodrik," he replied sharply. Rodrik covered his heart with his hand, displaying a look of mocked hurt.

"You wound me, little Theon," he pouted, "why won't you let your brothers have a look?"

Rodrik quickly stepped forward, and yanked Theon to his feet by the front of his tunic, shoving him to the side.

Maron steadied Theon as he stumbled, and held tightly onto his shoulders, ensuring he could not flee. He spun him around to face Rodrik, who held up the wooden carving of the kraken with a self satisfied smirk.

"Pray, what's this, little Theon? A kraken? I thought you had outgrown toys," he sneered, dangling the precious gift in the air. Theon made a desperate grab for it, but Rodrik only laughed, and held it higher, taking it further out of reach.

"Only a man can have a kraken, the honour of our house," he said, "you are but a squid, baby brother."

"I'm eight, nearly a man grown!" Theon insisted, struggling in Maron's iron grip, "give it back, it's mine!"

Rodrik merely chuckled, slipping the carving into his pocket. Theon's heart plummeted as the little gift disappeared. Rodrik bent down slightly, and motioned for Theon conspiratorially with the crook of his finger.

Maron shoved him forward.

"Would you like to be a man, Theon? A true kraken worthy of the ironborn name?" He said quietly, a small grin quirking at his lips. Theon bit his lip uncertainly. It felt like another of Rodrik and Maron's cruel games again, which usually resulted in him being hurt. 

"Yes?" He replied nervously, slightly backing away. Rodrik grinned.

"Then you must have the honour of becoming one," he decided, "there is a ritual on the Iron islands when a boy must become a man, or a priest, or a king..." Rodrik's brow furrowed in confusion, "you know," he said, "I don't know, one or the other. Regardless, it is the highest honour to be a part of the ritual, and I think, dear brother," he slung an arm around Theon's narrow shoulders, "that you are ready for this honour."

A small part of Theon smelled a rat, but another swelled at Rodrik's praise. Perhaps he would become a man that day, and regain his kraken once he was worthy to carry it.

"Once I become a man," Theon said slowly, hopefully, "can I have my kraken back?"

Rodrik smiled. "Of course, baby brother, of course," he replied reassuringly. Theon allowed himself to grin slightly.

"Alright then," he agreed, "how do we go about this ritual?"

"Come with us," Maron ordered, "it is usually done in the shallows of the sea," he said, beckoning Theon forward. He obeyed, and followed them to the edge of the beach where the calm waves lapped gently against the shore.

Theon dipped his toes hesitantly in the water, though growing up on Pyke, he was used to the cold. He walked easily a small ways into the sea, until the waves came up to his knees, and he stopped, watching his brothers who stood in front of him, the sun casting their shadows over Theon.

"What do we do know?" He asked slightly eagerly. He realized a second too late, as Rodrik amd Maron shared an evil, knowing smile, that he had walked into a trap. Maron rushed forward, and grabbed Theon under his arms, lifting him out of the water, and slung him across his back.

"We drown you," Rodrik replied.

"No!" Theon screamed, struggling in Maron's grasp as the two brothers carried him further out to sea, water swirling around their thighs.

When the water reached their waist, and Theon's legs were half dangling in the waves, Maron threw Theon off his shoulder. He screamed as he fell into the freezing water, his muscles jerking at the cold. He could not feel the sand beneath his feet, and he struggled to resurface from the waves.

When his head broke the surface, and he struggled for air, coughing seawater from his lungs, he thrashed around blindly, willing to escape.

"Let me go!" Theon screamed, as Maron grabbed his head by the hair, and forced him back under. Water clawed at Theon's throat, and stung his eyes. He thrashed around violently under Maron's strong grip, but to no avail. He could hear a dull laughter above him. How could he have been so stupid? Of course it was a game! Why was he always taken for a fool, a piece in his brother's games? Asha would have never let herself fall for this cruel joke.

Theon's strength began to falter, and black spots began to cloud his vision as he struggled to take a breath.

Just as he felt the darkness creeping in, his head was given a fierce yank, and he was pulled above the water, but only for a moment. Theon coughed fiercely, his throat raw, and sore. He took in sweet, quick lungfuls of air, panting rapidly, and had only just managed to regain his breath, when he was forced under again.

It repeated for a fashion, Theon being resurrected from the waves for only a few brief seconds, before he was pushed under again. He began to weaken, his heart fluttering madly in his chest, his lungs repeatedly clogged with seawater. He wanted it to end, wished it to end, but he was merely shoved beneath the water.

"Bless him with salt, bless him with..." Theon heared as he briefly resurfaced.

He only managed a quick breath, before he was dragged under again.

Water filled his lungs, and his vision blurred. His limbs drifted limply around him, and he closed his eyes, too exhausted and weak to fight.

Suddenly, his hair was released, and he quickly emerged from the water, vomiting into the waves. He thrashed wildly, struggling to stay above the water, his feet devoid of support.

Small hands grabbed at his thin arms, hauling him through the water as his last remaining strength finally gave out.

"You leave him alone, Rodrik!" Asha screamed at her older brothers as they doubled over with laughter. "You could have killed him!" Theon was dimly aware that she was guiding him to shore, her small but strong form dragging his limp body across the waves.

"Little Theon wanted to be a man, so we decided to give him the ritual," Rodrik explained, wheezing, a grin spread wide across his face. "We only did what he wanted!"

"Did he want you to kill him?" She snapped.

Once they reached the shallows, Theon felt his body weighten, and he fell weakly onto the sand, gasping desperately for air.

He felt Asha kneel beside him in the wet sand, seaweed clinging to her hair.

"You stupid arsehole!" She screamed at him, as he trembled and shook with wracking coughs. "They could have killed you! Why did you go with them?"

Theon didn't reply, but turned slightly, and vomited once more into the sand by her knees. Tears welled in his eyes, and began to roll down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, his voice a weak croak, "I'm sorry..." Asha softened a bit at his pitiful state, and gently began plucking the seaweed from his hair.

"It's okay, little brother," she said softly. Theon closed his eyes wearily, and felt the darkness settle in, his sister's small fingers smooth and soothing on his scalp.

* * *

Theon awoke in his bed, the blankets tucked tightly around him, a small candle flickering warmly on his bedside, a fire crackling in the hearth.

He could still feel the waves pulsing around him, feel the water tightening his chest, his brother's cruel laughter echoing faintly in his ears.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Asha clomped noisily into his room, the door slamming behind her. She jumped onto his bed, causing a groan of pain to escape from Theon's lips.

"Here," she said, proffering her hand, a small, dark object sitting neatly in the palm. Theon gasped, causing his throat to burn, and he eagerly snatched the carving from her fingers, clutching it tenderly to his chest. The kraken was a bit smudged and dirty, a limb had snapped off, but it was more or less intact.

"How did you...?" He asked, rubbing his thumb along the engravings. She shrugged.

"It fell out of his pocket when he came to shore. I knew it wasn't his, he would never have a toy like that, so before he could get to it, I grabbed it, and kneed him in the groin."

Theon grinned at the last bit, then looked down nervously at his hands.

"Thank you, Asha," he said meekly, "for...for saving me." She grinned, and ruffled his hair roughly.

"Just promise me you will never let Rodrik or anyone else take advantage of you again," she commanded.

Theon allowed himself a small smile.

"I promise."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
